4.1 STRUCTURAL CAPABILITY
A building, accessory structure or any part thereof shall be maintained in a structurally sound condition so as to be capable of sustaining its own weight or any additional weight which may be put on it through normal use, and materials which show damage or evidence of decay or other deterioration shall be repaired or replaced.
4.2 FIRE AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION
a) When, because of the existence of a building or accessory structure, or the contents thereof, an unsafe condition exists to persons on or about the exterior property areas of a premises, measures shall be taken to the extent necessary to abate the unsafe condition.
b) In the event of fire or other disaster, measures shall be taken as soon as possible to make the damaged building or accessory structure safe by the removal of dangerous structure material.
c) In the event the building or accessory is beyond repair, the land shall be cleared of all remains and left in a graded, level, and tidy condition.
d) Materials of an inflammable nature shall be safely stored or removed at once from the property.
4.3 PEST PREVENTION
a) A building shall be maintained free from rodents and insects at all times and methods used for exterminating rodents or insects or both shall conform to generally accepted practice.
b) A basement or cellar window used for ventilation and any other opening in a basement or cellar that might let in rodents shall be screened with wire mesh or such other materials as will effectively exclude rodents.
4.4 VENTILATION AND LIGHTING
a) Adequate lighting fixtures shall be installed and maintained in all areas so that the work or operations normally carried out in such areas, or the use of such areas, can be undertaken in safety and without undue eyestrain.
b) Every habitable room shall have an opening or openings for natural ventilation and such openings shall have a minimum aggregate unobstructed free flow of .28 sq. m. (3 sq. ft.). A kitchen, living room, living-dining room, bathroom, or toilet room may be provided with natural ventilation or mechanical ventilation.
c) Where an aperture such as a window, skylight, or louver is used for ventilation, the aperture shall be maintained so as to be easily opened, kept open, and closed.
d) Where a system of mechanical ventilation or air conditioning such as an electric fan with a duct leading to outside the dwelling has been authorized by by-law and installed in a dwelling, the authorized system shall be maintained in good working order. In the case of a kitchen, bathroom, living or living-dining room, the mechanical ventilation shall be capable of changing the air once each hour.
4.5 FOUNDATIONS
a) The foundation walls and the basement cellar, or crawl space floor of a building or an accessory structure shall be maintained in good repair so as to prevent settlement detrimental to the building, or the entrance of moisture, insects, or rodents into the building.
b) Without limiting the generality of subsection a), the maintenance of foundation includes:
i) the jacking-up, underpinning or shoring of the foundation where necessary;
ii) installing subsoil drains at the footing where necessary;
iii) the grouting of masonry cracks;
iv) waterproofing the wall and joints;
v) the carrying out of such other work as may be required to overcome any existing settlement detrimental to the building;
vi) repairing or replacing decayed damaged, or weakened sills, piers, posts or other supports;
and
vii) making sills, piers, posts or other supports waterproof and resistance to insects by the
application of suitable materials or treatment.
4.6 EXTERIOR WALLS
a) Exterior walls, parapet walls and components thereof shall be maintained in good repair, weather-tight, free from loose or unsecured objects and materials or treatment.
b) Without limiting the generality of subsection a), the maintenance of exterior walls include:
i) the applying of paint or materials to preserve all exterior wood and metal work;
ii) the restoring, repairing or replacing of the wall, the bricks and mortar, the stucco, shingles or cladding, the coping, the flashing and the waterproofing and the caulking of the wall and joints.
4.7 ROOFS
a) The roof, including the fascia board, soffit, cornice, and flashing, shall be maintained in a weather-tight condition so as to prevent leakage of moisture into the building.
b) Without restricting the generality of subsection a), the maintenance includes repairing of the roof and flashing, applying waterproof coatings, venting, installing or repairing eavestrough and rainwater piping, and using other suitable means.
c) Eavestroughs and downpipes shall kept in good repair, in good working order and watertight and free from leaks.
4.8 EXTERIOR DOORS AND WINDOWS
a) Exterior doors and windows shall be maintained in good repair, reasonably draft free and weather-tight
b) Without limiting the generality of subsection a), the maintenance may include painting, repairing or renewing damaged, decayed, or deteriorated doors, door frames, casings and thresholds, window sashes and window frames and casings, screens, refitting doors and windows, weather-stripping, repair or replacing defective or missing door and window hardware, rescreening, reglazing and using other suitable means of weatherproofing.
c) Nothing in this Section shall be construed as preventing doors, windows and other openings in an unoccupied building or accessory structure from being protected from damage, or to prevent entry.
d) Materials used for protection in accordance with subsection c) shall be afforded an application of paint, varnish or other approved colouring or preservative on the exterior.
4.9 WALLS AND CEILINGS
a) Interior walls and ceilings shall be maintained in good condition and free of holes and cracks and of loose plaster or other material.
b) Without restricting the generality of subsection a), the maintenance includes repairing or filling holes and cracks and removing and replacing loose or defective parts.
c) The interior floors, ceilings and walls of a building shall be kept free from dampness arising from the entrance of moisture through an exterior wall or through a cellar, basement or crawl space.
4.10 FLOORS
a) Floors shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition, reasonably smooth and level and free of loose, warped or decayed boards, depressions, protrusions, deterioration or other defects which forms a health, fire or accident hazard.
b) Where floors are covered, the covering shall be maintained in a safe condition free from worn, torn, damaged or holed parts in which dirt collects or which forms a health or accident hazard.
c) Lavatory or washroom floors, shower room floors, toilet room and bathroom floors shall be maintained reasonably impervious to water and in such condition as to permit easy cleaning.
d) Without restricting the generality of subsections a), b), and c), the maintenance includes installing, repairing, refinishing and replacing a floor or floor covering to provide the required standards.
e) Any basement containing habitable rooms shall have a concrete floor.
4.11 STAIRS AND PORCHES
a) Any inside or outside stair, balcony, porch, or canopy shall be maintained so as to be free of holes, cracks, and other defects which may constitute possible accident hazards.
b) Without restricting the generality subsection a), the maintenance includes repairing or replacing treads or risers that show excessive wear or are broken, warped or loose or otherwise defective, and supporting structural members that are rotted or deteriorated.
c) Painting or coating with a preservative unless constructed of material inherently resistant to deterioration.
d) A handrail or banister shall be installed so as to guard against accident or injury on the open side of a balcony, landing, stairwell and stairway, having more than three risers.
4.12 CHIMNEYS AND FIREPLACES
a) Every chimney smoke pipe and flue in or on a building, actually in use or available for use, shall be maintained so as to prevent gases from leaking into the building, and at all times shall be kept in good repair and maintained so as to prevent gases from leaking into the building, and at all times shall be kept in good repair and maintained free from loose bricks, mortar and loose or broken capping.
b) Without restricting the generality of subsection a), the maintenance includes clearing the flue of obstructions, sealing open joints and repairing masonry.
c) Every fireplace used or intended to be used in a building for burning fuel in open fires shall be maintained so that adjacent combustible material and structure members shall not be heated to unsafe temperatures.
d) Without restricting the generality of subsection c), the maintenance includes securing connection to a chimney that complies with the standard of this by-law, lining and repairing and re-lining with fire resistant material, and installing and repairing and replacing the hearth.